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Homily for the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

READ: (2Kgs 4: 42-44; Eph 4: 1-6; Jn 6: 1-15)

REFLECT: Be generous, for no one has become poor by giving others...

My dear friends, today we are in the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. We are called to reflect on generosity of God in various ways and be generous with one another. The world has become richer by the generous and genuine attitude and hands of many. When we speak of generosity, let us not limit only to financial aid or support rather generosity can be seen in a wider perspective; generosity in the resources or talents one has; the material or social benefits or privileges one enjoys; generosity in giving our love, our time, our support and help or at times even giving life to someone in need. However, God is always generous to all, but to people those who are largely generous, God extends his generosity in a larger portion. Therefore, based on the liturgy of the word, I would like to share with you three points of reflection;

1. Obey God’s word:

God rewards us with his generous heart, when one obeys or listens to what God asks of us to do. Our obedience to God and listening to his voice or his commands grants us blessings in abundance, because God becomes pleased, when we do what he wishes or commands. Perhaps, it is not for God’s happiness that God asks us to fulfil certain obligations and duties rather it is for our happiness and peace to live on earth. That’s what we see in the first reading from Second book of Kings as how God’s generosity is extended to people through Elisha with twenty loaves of barely and fresh ears of grain for hundred people.

We notice in the first reading that Elisha tells the servant to serve the food for hundred people, but the servant hesitates, because he feels, it may not be sufficient for hundred people. But Elisha says convincingly to distribute to people, because he knows that God would work wonders in giving the food to many those who were present. That’s why Elisha says, “Thus says the Lord, “They shall eat and have some left.” Elisha being the man of God believes in God’s words and obeys God’s words to distribute food to them. Therefore, when we believe in God’s work, God works wonders in our lives. Today, most of have the difficulty of walking with faith and living in utter obedience to God’s word. It is because we lack faith and don’t have faith in the might or the mighty work of God. Sometimes our faith is blinded by suspicion and doubt. It is at that point of time that we lose faith in God and go away from God and his ways. So we need to be people, who rely on God’s word and experience wonders in life.

Another aspect that we notice in the first reading is the food was given as a gift to Elisha by that particular man. But what was brought to him is given by Elisha to others. It shows his generosity and his love towards people in need. He was so generous that he did not keep for himself the first fruits and barely of loaves that were offered as a gift. Perhaps, it may have been the gift that was offered to Elisha but it was God, who worked miracle in giving that food, which could not have been enough for all but to some people only. And still we see in the first reading that there was some left-over. Yes, only God could work supernatural or miraculous things, because he has power and God is power himself. But God makes use of others as mediums to communicate his message and love for us his people. That’s what God does through Elisha, satisfying the hungry people.

Today, what we need to do is to obey God’s word and believe in men and women of God, through whom God conveys and communicates his messages of love and goodness to rest of the humanity. So let us trust in the Lord’s word and never give up giving and sharing, because God gives us, when we give to others in many ways with manifold gifts. Let us obtain the grace from God to never say that I do not have anything to give rather say that I would give something with what I have to make someone happy for the glory of God.

2. Live worthy of God’s calling:

God calls each one of us for his mission as human persons. But all those who are called as Christians, baptized in the name of Christ, there is a special calling and a noble task or responsibility is entrusted to fulfil. But this calling and responsibility demands from us special ways and means to follow and to fulfil the mission of God on earth.  That’s what is presented to us in the Second Reading from St. Paul’s letter to Ephesians. St. Paul having received a special call and commission from Jesus, now calls the Ephesian community to live worthy of the calling given by Christ. St. Paul begs the community of Ephesus to live a life worthy of the calling and identifies himself as prisoner for the Lord. It reminds us that St. Paul was not only imprisoned for the sake of Christ’s good news and for the propagation of it rather he was completely imprisoned in and for Christ, meaning to say that he was fully captured by God and became stronghold of Christ in spreading the message of salvation. The many places of imprisonment of St. Paul manifest his dedication and commitment to Christ’s work. Such a commitment we need in our lives to be completely engrossed and imprisoned in and for Christ.

Further, St. Paul not only calls us to live worthy of calling as Christians rather he presents before us virtues and values that would mould and shape us to become and live as worthy Christians. The values and virtues are humility, gentleness, endurance, and love for one another and sustain our lives in unity of Spirit for peace. Yes, this is the vocation and this is our way of living. The virtues of humility, gentleness, patience and love for one another would prove that we are disciples and followers of Christ. Therefore, it is not our word that sounds more here rather deeds that touch and inspire the lives of many to be followers of Christ. Today, many of us have failed to inspire or touch the lives many in our world, because we have not experienced Christ fully and have not felt the need of being united with God. The more we are united with Christ in life; the better shall be our living on earth.

So today we need to remember that as Christians and Catholics, we have a prime vocation for which we have been called for and to live for. The first Christian, Jesus Christ, our Lord and founder has taught us to be humble, gentle, patient and kind, making known to us the love of God by birth, by his ministry of word and deed, healing and forgiving, love and compassion, even to the extent of giving up his life for us and showing how to live our lives more meaningfully and joyfully. It is our duty and responsibility now to follow Christ and follow those who are Christ-like in values and virtues for a good standard of Christian living. Thus promoting and living the values and virtues of the worthy of God’s calling in our lives.

3. Believe in Jesus’ power:

There is a famous praise and worship song that we commonly sing, “Jesus’ Power super power and Satan’s power zero power.” Yes, it is true that Jesus’ power is super power, but do we believe in Jesus’ power to experience miracles in our lives. Today’s first reading from the book of Kings and the gospel reading from John gives us similar points to reflect ,”to believe in the power of God and Jesus.” In today’s gospel reading, we have the episode of multiplication of loaves and fish for five thousand people, which shows us the generosity and compassion of God to people through Jesus, although the apostles were hesitant initially to make Jesus provide food for the crowd. But what we see among the apostles is lack of faith in Jesus. They have not yet realized that Jesus was with them and he could give them things unimaginable. The eyes of the apostles were slow to perceive and their minds too low to understand or grasp the power and greatness of Jesus. That’s why Philip says, “one hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” Andrew too says,” there is a boy here with five barely loaves and two fish, but are they for so many?

The opening verses of the gospel very clearly states that a large crowd was following Jesus, because Jesus was doing many signs to heal the sick and cure them. But the disciples failed to recognise Jesus and his power though he worked many miracles in their presence. This is exactly what happens in our lives too. We notice people who are healed by various sicknesses or diseases by the power and grace of God, yet we don’t come to belief in Christ. It is because we take the power and grace of God for granted or because it is given to us freely and to the brim, we don’t understand the value of God’s presence and grace in our lives.

However, Jesus teaches them to value the presence of God in their midst and increases their trust in Jesus. Perhaps nothing is mentioned about the apostles whether they were surprised or not, about the miraculous feeding of the crowd but the crowd were wonderstruck of the signs that Jesus worked for them. The multiplication of bread and fish in the gospel of John overshadows the Eucharistic overtones which Jesus would establish at the last supper, before he could breathe his last and rise. It reminds us of Jesus’ self-sacrificing love for each other by his own life. That’s what Pope Francis would say, “The episode prefigures the Last Supper, which gives the bread of Jesus its truest significance. The bread of God is Jesus Himself. By receiving him in communion, we receive his life within us and we become children of the Heavenly Father and brothers among ourselves. By receiving communion we meet Jesus truly living and risen. Taking part in the Eucharist means entering into the logic of Jesus, the logic of giving freely of sharing. As poor as we are, we all have something to give.” Yes, Christ gives us himself freely for love of us. So let us give to others whatever we can, so that through us, the helping hand of God might be seen in our lives.

The disciples and people would have never imagined to see such miraculous works from God, because they had not fully experienced Jesus and his power fully. Therefore, it is a reminder for all of us that if we want to see or experience miraculous works from God, we need to experience God fully and remain close to him. The multiplication of bread and fish become an opportunity for the apostles and people to experience more fully Jesus and remain with Jesus all the more.

Certainly, the apostle could have done anything by themselves as they were prepared to send the crowd away. That is very well seen in their answers that it won’t be sufficient to feed many. It is because of Jesus and his power that many people were fed. Therefore, in our lives too, it is not that we do great things rather God does and we are just a medium, who bring people closer to God and God does the rest of the work. So today we need to realise that at every moment, Jesus is present with us. But what happens is that we become lethargic saying ‘let it happen,’ or ‘what is there for me, why take trouble’ or ‘it may not be possible.’ Let us remember that when we do everything with the support and assurance of God and God will do amazing things to us, on behalf of us to others or through us to different people. So let us believe in the power of Jesus 

Today, we need to ask what my generosity is and what are my generous contributions to God, others and myself? Let us be generous in giving our love, time, resources, talents, powers, financial aid, and basic needs to one another and thus spread the message that God still loves us and that God is much more generous than us. The world is large enough to love, to care, to share and be near to each one but what hinders us is our ego, pride, selfishness and hatred. So let us represent the generous act of God by our words and deeds that cheer and bring smile on the faces of everyone in the world. If our generosity extends to others then no one will die, no one will cry but rather all will live in peace and harmony, happy and joyful. So let us be generous, for our God who created us, nurtures and safe-guards us is generous.

RESPOND:

Do we obey God’s word or obey one’s own words for self-satisfaction and decision in our lives?

Do we live worthy of God’s calling in ways and means that God has offered or we go according to our whims and fancies?

Do we believe in the power of Jesus or believe in our own power for honour and glory?

Let us obey God’s word, live worthy of God’s calling and believe in the power of Jesus for to experience God’s generosity in our lives and be generous with one another. Amen. 

God bless us all! Live Jesus!

Fr. Ramesh George MSFS

rameshvkmsfs@gmail.com

9500930968